perplexing puzzles
by cheadsearc
Summary: annabeth chase has a huge crush but she's too afraid that he has a girlfriend:: percy jackson is practically in love but he thinks she's untouchable and she doesn't even know his name :: basically everything is a sticky sweet mess :: fluffy cliché one-shot :: percabeth


Annabeth Chase was low-key obsessed with the barista.

Now, it wasn't often that she liked someone, let alone be _obsessed_ over them but this boy was one of a kind.

Brilliant green eyes, jet-black hair poking out under his cap (worn sideways which Annabeth would've _never_ liked… except it was _him_.)

And she didn't even know his name.

She'd sit by her favourite window seat, chewing the end of her cheap blue pen, hiding under a curtain of blond hair and stare at him as he smiled and handed everyone their coffees. Hopefully, he hadn't guessed what she was up to and believed that she was reading a boring passage on the finer points of architecture.

Piper had snorted at her when she blabbed about her embarrassing crush and said _Yeah, right._ (That girl could make _anyone_ talk about their love lives. Even people like Annabeth who were usually immune to her hypnotizing powers.)

But today… today, she was definitely going to get to know him. At least his name. Or maybe just a _Hello._ That was okay, right? As a regular to the café? Maybe she'd just stick with a smile.

But the very-fake-smile she had plastered onto her lips slid off like slime as soon as she entered the café with a _jing_ of the doorbell.

He was with someone.

He was with a _girl._ A gorgeous girl. A gorgeous girl who had her arm wrapped around him and her head resting on his shoulder. _Great. Just fucking great._

She switched to autopilot as she approached the counter, with the fakest smile she could muster. He didn't notice her, immediately, whispering something in the girl's ear, but his eyes slid to her soon enough and he smiled a bit.

A _bit_. But, obviously, he didn't mean anything by it. After all, he gave a wide grin at the caramel-haired girl as she pulled away. A wide grin that Annabeth longed to receive.

 _Gods, now she was sounding like a sappy romance novel._

"Hey, Annabeth," he greeted her (and it was a bit gratifying that he remembered her name from her orders). "The usual?" he questioned. The 'usual' being a mocha topped with chocolate sprinkles. (What? She liked coffee and chocolate, okay?)

"Yes," she managed to answer without falling to pieces. She had to move on. He very _clearly_ had a girlfriend. A drop-dead gorgeous model-esque girlfriend at that.

"'Kay then," he smiled. "Two minutes."

She nodded at him quickly and reclaimed her usual spot to mourn her loss.

/

Percy Jackson had never crushed on someone so hard.

It was ridiculous, really, the way he felt like a bumbling idiot around the grey-eyed blonde, _Annabeth._ She came to his mum's café daily – where he worked after attending his classes in NYU. A jingle of the doorbell at five in the evening and his heart would start beating faster at the sight of those princess blonde curls.

Pathetic, really.

She seemed a little off, today. None of the usual stormy, _touch-me-and-you'll-die_ attitude. Sure, she still didn't smile at him, but something seemed wrong.

He waved goodbye to Calypso, his best friend since his first year in NYU. They'd started dating shortly after beginning their first year but had to call it off when they realized that it wouldn't work. Especially when Calypso realized that she had a major crush on the resident madcap and crazy inventor, Leo Valdez.

Her current idiot of a boyfriend.

She'd just gotten out of another huge fight with him, and had come straight to the café to rant to Percy. Percy had no idea how he'd got stuck between the volatile couple. But he'd patted her back, cheered her up with a few cheeky, sarcastic jokes and sent her home with a new purpose – to slap some sense into her boyfriend.

And with a jingle of the doorbell, Annabeth had stepped in, cheeks pink from the October chill and wisps of hair blown over her face.

Beautiful.

Calypso gave him a knowing smile and slipped out of the small shop. She'd ordered her usual – mocha and chocolate sprinkles. He thought it was cute.

(Okay, there wasn't much he didn't consider cute about her.)

But she seemed down, actually _studying_ instead of staring off into space as she usually did. She had a small, sad frown and pout on her face and Percy worried that something was really wrong.

 _Shut up, Percy. She doesn't even know your name!_

It was true though, Annabeth had never asked anything about him or anything like that.

As he'd said – _Pathetic._

But today… today was different. Today, he'd actually strike up a decent conversation, introduce himself, maybe. Ask her out on a date. (Or maybe just stop at the 'introduce himself' part. He didn't think he could muster up enough courage to accomplish the last part.)

So, two minutes later, he ventured to her table by the window, his heart jumping in his throat – which made him wonder if he could actually speak properly.

She didn't hear his, "Hey Annabeth, here's your coffee," at first, until he repeated her name, a tad louder. Her head snapped up to meet his eyes and she smiled a bit. (He might have done a happy dance because of that but no one need to know.)

"Oh… thanks," she accepted the cup and turned away…

Effectively shutting him out.

Percy's smile drooped a little. She obviously didn't want to be disturbed. _Dammit._ He dragged his feet back to the counter.

This was going to be a long evening.

/

She stayed there much longer than she originally intended to.

Piper sent frantic messages, something about Jason's and Reyna's breakup or something along those lines. (Poor girl must have been hyperventilating. Piper had been crushing on Jason for so long that she was almost in love with him. Annabeth was glad that she was happy.) But Annabeth didn't reply. She was too busy peeking through her webbed golden strands, at the whistling, raven-haired boy, to actually care about her friend's love life. She was a terrible friend.

The thing about him– you simply _couldn't_ ignore him.

He was always there, behind her, asking if she needed another coffee or whether she'd like a croissant he'd made. (He was _amazing_ at cooking, Annabeth had discovered.) Annabeth started declining his offers after her sixth cup of delicious mocha and her seventh almond croissant (She didn't know that was a thing until now.) in the fear that her belly would outgrow her skinny jeans.

But he didn't stop asking.

Which was _not_ helpful for Annabeth's policy of avoiding him.

It wasn't fair.

Why did he have to be a total sweetheart?

"Um… Annabeth?" His voice was behind her again, and she checked her watch. _9:30._ Wow. She really needed to get home.

"Yeah," she mustered.

"Umm… my shift is over… so I just, um.. wanted to say bye?" He said _um_ a lot. And ended his sentences in questions, a lot.

"Bye…" She frowned. Now was the perfect time to ask him his name. _Ask, you coward. It's just a name. Don't be a wuss, Annabeth Chase. ASK HIM!_

"I-I never r-really caught your name," she said in what sounded like a squeak. _A squeak._ Annabeth Chase never squeaked.

Well, scratch that. Annabeth Chase never squeaked, unless it was her crush she was speaking to.

His lips (lush pink and just _divine_ , Annabeth had always thought, damn clichés) spread in a smile which intrigued Annabeth – half smirk and half grin. It was just him. It was-

"Percy Jackson, a pleasure," he said, holding out a hand to shake. Annabeth took it (even though she was pretty sure that he could feel her pounding pulse in her fingers) and gave it a firm shake, noting the slight calluses on his fingers and the sparkle in his green eyes.

She would've done a happy dance, but, you know, _Percy_ was right there.

Yeah. Percy. Percy who was so handsome that she couldn't even begin to describe him. Percy, who had an adorable blush. Percy, who put his hand on her back as they traipsed out of the small café together. (She might or might not have heard a snide ' _About time_ ' from the spiky-haired girl who took the next shift.)

Percy.

It was nice.

It suited him.

It was _his name._

And she knew it.

She knew his name was Percy,

(She just couldn't stop _saying_ it. Percy. Per-cy. Per-cy Jack-son. _Percy Jackson._ )

And damn his gorgeous model girlfriend, but Annabeth Chase had a crush on Percy Jackson (which was probably the size of the whole universe, and she wasn't even kidding).

/

Percy was pretty sure that he'd have some kind of disorder if his heart beat any faster.

She'd finally done it.

She'd finally asked his name.

He couldn't stop grinning.

( _Oh shut_ up.)

Her warmth radiated from her back and onto his hand and he could smell her scent – lemony, just a pinch of lily-of-the-valley and what seemed to be honey. It made an intoxicating combination.

He didn't know how he'd ended up walking her home (but he was pretty sure that it involved a murderous roommate, and Percy should've been worried, but he was too overwhelmed by the fact that he was _actually walking her home_ to care) but he enjoyed it. Immensely. She made snide comments about the late-night party goers clad in flashy clothes and fancy shoes and laughed at his witty comebacks. She was extremely sarcastic, he discovered. Like him. Perfect.

If he was anime, Percy was pretty sure that he'd have hearts in his eyes by now.

The calm of the night, her fragrance on the breeze and her hand slowly slipping into his. That was all he needed. Perfect. Flawless. _Wonderful._

Until Calypso had to ruin it all.

A bell-like chime erupted from his pocket, and he clicked his tongue. _Not now._

 _Callie,_ the caller's ID said. He looked up at Annabeth's face, to see a guarded façade slipping on and he cursed under his breath. _Not now._

He pressed the red button and smiled weakly at the blonde. She looked confused, as if she couldn't quite figure out what was happening.

And the irritating little song started again.

"It's okay, Percy," she said. "You can take it." She looked at him peculiarly. And so, with a quick smile and a whispered, _Just a sec,_ he growled into the phone, "Percy."

"Percy! Leo is crazy," she was laughing breathlessly and Percy huffed in annoyance. He was _so_ not in the mood for some stupid call involving his best friends' antics.

"What happened?"

"H-he wants to t-tickle me to death," she screamed and Percy put his phone a few inches away from his ear.

"Oh wow, that's fascinating," he stated dryly. "I _finally_ get to talk to Annabeth alone and what do you dumbasses do? _Call me._ For some stupid fucking reason I don't want to hear about." He muttered profanities at them. They could be a pain in the ass.

"Annabeth?" Calypso talked much more clearly. "Oh, no, Percy, I didn't know! I'm so sorry. I expect full details in the morning. Bye, darling," she giggled and there was static silence.

Crazy idiots.

He realized that Annabeth had walked a few feet ahead of him and he jogged to catch up with her.

"Hey!" he called. "I'm so sorry. It's just…" He gestured vaguely, and there was static silence.

Crazy idiots.

He realized that Annabeth had walked a few feet ahead of him and he jogged to catch up with her.

"Hey!" he called. "I'm so sorry. It's just…" He gestured vaguely, unsure of what to say to her.

She had that effect on him.

"It's alright, I understand." She smiled, albeit a little uncomfortably. "So… what did your girlfriend say?"

"Oh, it was no-" His mind came to a screeching halt. "Wait, wha- what the- _girlfriend?"_ He looked at her incredulously, at her grey eyes, looking amber in the streetlight. Now where the hell did he get a girlfriend from?

"Oh, I'm sorry, I just assumed-"

"Who told you that?" Percy snapped. All this time, he'd been crushing on her, mooning over her like a lost puppy and she thought he had a girlfriend. That thought just pissed him off.

"Nobody, I just thought-"

"Are you really so _blind_? I've been after you for a whole fucking year and you think I have a girlfriend?"

Her grey eyes blinked owlishly in the dark. "W-what?"

"Good Lord, woman, you really are that blind." A surge of excitement and joy shot up his body as he stepped closer. She didn't move back. "Guess I'll just have to show you," he murmured, and finally, _finally,_ he pressed his lips to hers.

/

 ** _(And maybe they spent the next hour on that footpath, kissing till Annabeth's lips were red and blown into the widest smile ever.)_**

 ** _((And maybe they spent the next few weeks making out and giggling and falling in love, because sometimes, clichés really do come true.))_**

/

 **i don't even know. i'm the kind of girl who usually hates clichés, but... _percabeth clichés_ are too hard to resist. review? :)**


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